US20140135960A1

US20140135960A1 - Wearable device, display device, and system to provide exercise service and methods thereof

Info

Publication number: US20140135960A1
Application number: US14/078,805
Authority: US
Inventors: Yong-jin Choi
Original assignee: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
Current assignee: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
Priority date: 2012-11-15
Filing date: 2013-11-13
Publication date: 2014-05-15
Also published as: KR20140062892A

Abstract

A wearable device worn on a body of a user is provided. The wearable device includes a motion sensor to sense a motion of the user, a bio-signal sensor to sense a bio-signal of the user, a communicator to communicate with a display device to execute a content to display an execution screen, and a controller to transmit sensed results of the motion sensor and the bio-signal sensor to the display device to display a pose of the user on the execution screen. Therefore, an exercise effect is increased.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2012-0129810, filed on Nov. 15, 2012, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept generally relates to providing a wearable device, an exercise service providing system, and a method of providing an exercise service by using the same, and more particularly, to providing a wearable device that a user wears on a body, a display device to provide an exercise service based on a value sensed by the wearable device, an exercise service providing system, and status managing methods thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various types of electronic devices have been developed and supplied with the development of electronic technologies. In particular, various types of display devices, such as a TV, a portable phone, a tablet PC, a laptop PC, a PC, etc., have been widely used. Therefore, the needs of users to be provided with various types of services by using display devices have been increased.
For example, a user plays contents, such as instructional videos teaching yoga, dances, and other exercises on a display device, and after viewing the contents, attempts to copy the poses shown in the contents. However, it is difficult for the user to know whether they have exactly copied the pose that they want to take. In particular, when the user does yoga, the user is to take an exact pose in order to maximize an exercise effect. Therefore, when the user takes a wrong pose, the exercise effect may be reduced compared to an exercise time.
Accordingly, a technology for exactly measuring and managing a pose of a user is required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Additional features and utilities of the present general inventive concept will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the general inventive concept.
The exemplary embodiments of the present general inventive concept provide a wearable device and a display device that a user wears on a body to sense a motion and a bio-signal and checks a pose of the user according to the sensed result to provide a feedback, an exercise service providing system including the wearable device and the display device, and methods thereof.
Exemplary embodiments of the present general inventive concept provide a wearable device worn on a body of a user, the wearable device including a motion sensor to sense a motion of the user, a bio-signal sensor to sense a bio-signal of the user, a communicator to communicate with a display device to execute a content to display an execution screen, and a controller to transmit sensed results of the motion sensor and the bio-signal sensor to the display device to display a pose of the user on the execution screen.
The wearable device may further include at least one body part which is formed of a flexible material and supports the motion sensor, the bio-signal sensor, the communicator, and the controller, and a plurality of vibrators which are distributed in the body part, the controller vibrating the plurality of vibrators according to a feedback signal transmitted from the display device to provide a feedback to the user.
The motion sensor may include a plurality of acceleration sensors and a plurality of electromyogram (EMG) sensors which are disposed in association with the plurality of vibration actuators. The content may be one of a yoga content, a Pilates content, a golf content, and a dance content. If the pose of the user disagrees with a reference pose stored in the content, the controller may vibrate one of the plurality of vibrators corresponding to a disagreeing portion of the user's pose to provide a feedback to the user.
Exemplary embodiments of the present general inventive concept also provide a display device including a storage device to store a content, a display unit to display an execution screen if the content is executed, a communicator to receive a sensing signal and a bio-signal of a motion of a user from a wearable device worn on a body of the user, a controller to determine a pose of the user according to the sensing signal and the bio-signal, display the pose of the user on the execution screen, and compare the pose of the user with a reference pose stored in the content, and a voice output unit to output as a voice the comparison result between the pose of the user and the reference pose.
The controller may generate a feedback signal indicating the comparison result between the pose of the user and the reference pose and transmit the feedback signal to the wearable device through the communicator.
If the content is executed, the controller may generate a control command to adjust at least one peripheral device registered in the display device to a condition agreeing with an exercise service and transmit the control command to the peripheral device.
The content may be one of a yoga content, a Pilates content, a golf content, and a dance content.
Exemplary embodiments of the present general inventive concept also provide an exercise service providing system including a wearable device which is worn on a body of a user, the wearable device including a motion sensor and a bio-signal sensor, the wearable device providing a feedback according to a comparison result between a pose of the user and a reference pose stored in a content, and a display device to execute the content to display an execution screen, determine a pose of the user by using the sensed values of the motion sensor and the bio signal sensor transmitted from the wearable device, display the pose of the user on the execution screen, and transmit the comparison result between the pose of the user and the reference pose stored in the content to the wearable device.
Exemplary embodiments of the present general inventive concept also provide an exercise service providing method of an exercise service providing system including a wearable device worn on a body of a user and a display device. The exercise service providing method may include executing a content through the display device to display an execution screen, transmitting sensed values of a motion sensor and a bio-signal sensor attached onto the wearable device to the display device, determining a pose of the user by using the sensed value and displaying the pose of the user on the execution screen through the display device, comparing the pose of the user with a reference pose stored in the content through the display device and transmitting the comparison result from the display device to the wearable device, and providing a vibration feedback through the wearable device according to the comparison result.
If the content is executed, the display device may generate a control command to adjust at least one peripheral device registered in the display device to a condition agreeing with an exercise service and transmit the control command to the peripheral device.
The content may be one of a yoga content, a Pilates content, a golf content, and a dance content.
Exemplary embodiments of the present general inventive concept also provide a method of providing an exercise service by using a display device. The method includes, if a content is executed, displaying an execution screen, receiving a sensing signal and a bio-signal of a motion of a user from a wearable device worn on a body of the user, determining a pose of the user according to the sensing signal and the bio-signal, displaying the pose of the user on the execution screen, and outputting as a voice a comparison result between the pose of the user and a reference pose stored in the content.
The method may further include generating a feedback signal indicating the comparison result between the pose of the user and the reference pose and transmitting the feedback signal to the wearable device.
The method may further include generating a control command to adjust at least one peripheral device registered in the display device to a condition agreeing with an exercise service and transmitting the control command to the peripheral device.
The content may be one of a yoga content, a Pilates content, a golf content, and a dance content.
A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium may contain computer-readable codes as a program to execute the exercise service providing method.
Exemplary embodiments of the present general inventive concept also provide a wearable device worn on a body of a user, the wearable device including a sensor to sense a motion or position of the user, and a controller to transmit the sensed motion or position of the user through a communicator to a display device to compare the motion or position of the user to a reference content, and to receive feedback from the display device on the comparison.
Exemplary embodiments of the present general inventive concept also provide a display device, including a storage device to store a first reference content, a display unit to display an execution screen, a communicator to receive a sensor signal from a wearable device worn on a body of a user, and a controller to determine a motion or position of the user according to the sensor signal, display the motion or position of the user on the execution screen, compare the motion or position of the user with the first reference content, and transmit the results of the comparison to the user device.
Exemplary embodiments of the present general inventive concept also provide a method of providing an exercise service, the method including receiving a sensing signal from a wearable device worn on a body of the user, determining a motion or position of the user according to the sensing signal, comparing the determined motion or position of the user to a reference content, and outputting feedback to the user based on the result of the comparison.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and/or other features and utilities of the present general inventive concept will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a structure of a wearable device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept;

FIG. 2 is a view illustrating an operation of an exercise service providing system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept;

FIG. 3 is a view illustrating an external structure of a wearable device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a structure of a display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an operation of an exercise service providing system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept;

FIG. 6 is a view illustrating a method of providing an exercise service in an exercise service providing system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a method of providing an exercise service in a wearable device according to another exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept;

FIG. 8 is a view illustrating a structure of a wearable device including a flexible battery according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept; and

FIG. 9 is a view illustrating a section of the flexible battery used in the wearable device of FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present general inventive concept, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout. The embodiments are described below in order to explain the present general inventive concept while referring to the figures.
The matters defined in the following description, such as detailed construction and elements, are provided to assist in a comprehensive understanding of the exemplary embodiments of the present general inventive concept. Thus, it is apparent that the exemplary embodiments can be carried out without those specifically defined matters. Also, well-known functions or constructions are not described in detail since they would obscure the exemplary embodiments with unnecessary detail.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a structure of a wearable device 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept. The wearable device 100 refers to a device that is formed of a flexible material to be worn by a user. For example, the wearable device 100 may be various types of wearable devices that humans or animals may wear on their bodies, such as clothes, shoes, glasses, hats, accessories, etc. Hereinafter, a wearable device 100 which is realized in a clothes shape will be described but is not limited to this type. Therefore, the wearable device 100 may be realized as various types.
Referring to FIG. 1, the wearable device 100 includes a motion sensor 110, a bio-signal sensor 120, a controller 130, and a communicator 140.
The motion sensor 110 senses a motion of a user. The motion sensor 110 may include for example an electromyogram (EMG) sensor, an acceleration sensor, etc. to sense the motion of the user.
An EMG sensor senses a bioelectrical signal accompanied by muscle activities of the user through electrodes attached to a body of the user. In detail, a potential difference formed between the electrodes attached to the body of the user is amplified through a differential amplifier circuit, a noise is removed from the bi-electrical signal through a notch filter or the like, and the bioelectrical signal from which noise has been removed is provided to the controller 130. The controller 130 compares a current EMG signal with a previous EMG signal to determine whether muscles of the user are relaxed or contracted in order to estimate the motion of the user.
An acceleration sensor senses an inclination degree by using gravity. In other words, if a gravity value, which is obtained when sensing is performed in a vertical direction, is 1 g, and the pose of the user is inclined, a value lower than 1 g is obtained. If the pose of the user is upside down, −1 g is obtained. The acceleration sensor outputs a pitch angle and a roll angle by using this principle. If the wearable device 100 is realized in the clothes shape, acceleration sensors may be respectively distributed in parts of the body of the user. The controller 130 may compare pitch angles and roll angles provided from the acceleration sensors distributed in the body parts to estimate the motion of the user. For example, if a pitch angle and a roll angle of an acceleration sensor attached to an elbow are kept, and a pitch angle and a roll angle of an acceleration sensor attached to an arm are changed, the controller 130 may determine that the arm is bent or straight.
A twinaxis or triaxis flux gate may be used in the acceleration sensor. If the twinaxis flux gate is used, normalization processing may be performed to map output values of X and Y axes of the acceleration sensor to output values within a predetermined range, and a pitch angle and a roll angle may be calculated by using the normalized values. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept, the normalization processing may be performed according to Equation 1:
$\begin{matrix} X t_{norm} = \frac{2 X t - (X t_{\max} + X t_{\min})}{X t_{\max} - X t_{\min}} Y t_{norm} = \frac{2 Y t - (Y t_{\max} + Y t_{\min})}{Y t_{\max} - Y t_{\min}} & (1) \end{matrix}$
wherein Xt denotes an output value of an X axis acceleration sensor, Yt denotes an output value of a Y axis acceleration sensor, Xt_normdenotes an output value of the X axis acceleration sensor that has been normalized, Yt_normnorm denotes an output value of the Y axis acceleration sensor that has been normalized, Xt_maxand Xt_mindenote maximum and minimum values of Xt, respectively, and Yt_maxand Yt_mindenote maximum and minimum values of Yt, respectively.
A pitch angle θ and a roll angle φ are calculated by using Equation 2 below:
$\begin{matrix} θ = \sin^{- 1} (X t_{norm}) φ = \sin^{- 1} (\frac{Y t_{norm}}{\cos θ}) & (2) \end{matrix}$
wherein Xt_normdenotes an output value of the X axis acceleration sensor that has been normalized, Yt_normdenotes an output value of the Y axis acceleration sensor that has been normalized, θ denotes the pitch angle, and φ denotes the roll angle.
The motion sensor 110 may further include a gyro sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, etc.
The bio-signal sensor 120 senses a bio-signal of the user. In detail, the bio-signal sensor 120 may include various types of sensors that sense a bio-signal such as a temperature, a breathing quantity, a resting pulse rate, a blood pressure, or the like of the user. The breathing quantity of the user may be sensed for example by using a microphone or a pressure sensor.
If sensed values are detected from the motion sensor 110 and the bio-signal sensor 120, the controller 130 controls the communicator 140 to access an external display device 200 (illustrated in FIG. 2).
The external display device 200 executes a content to provide an exercise service to display an execution screen of the content in order to communicate with the wearable device 100. The external display device may be realized as various types of user terminal devices such as for example a portable phone, a tablet PC, a laptop computer, a desktop PC, a TV, etc. The external display device 200 may selectively play various types of contents according to a play command transmitted from the wearable device 100 or a play command input through the external display device 200 or a remote controller (not illustrated).
The communicator 140 may communicate with the external display device 200 by using at least one of well-known communication technologies. In detail, the communicator 140 may include various types of chips according to exemplary embodiments of the present general inventive concept. For example, the communicator 140 may include at least one of various types of chips such as a Wi-Fi chip, a Bluetooth chip, a near field communication (NFC) chip, a wireless communication chip, etc. If a Wi-Fi chip or a Bluetooth chip is used, the communicator 140 may transmit and receive various types of connection information, such as a subsystem identification (SSID), a session key, etc., with an external device and transmit and receive various types of information or commands after a communication connection. The wireless communication chip performs communications according to various types of communication standards such as Institute of Electrical Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Gigbee, 3rd Generation (3G), 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), Long Term Evolution (LTE), etc. The communicator 140 may also include an infrared (IR) lamp (not illustrated). The communicator 140 may communicate with the external display device 200 by using these various types of communication means.
The controller 130 transmits sensed results of the motion sensor 110 and the bio-signal sensor 120 to the external display device 200 to display a pose of the user on the execution screen.
Besides the above-described sensors, various types of sensors such as an ultrasonic proximity sensor, a pressure sensor, a microphone sensor, a temperature sensor, etc. (not illustrated) may be further included and used.
FIG. 2 is a view illustrating an external structure of a wearable device 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept. Referring to FIG. 2, the wearable device 100 operates along with a display device 200 to provide an exercise service. The exercise service may be selectively determined according to a type of a content played on the display device 200. For example, various exercise services, such as a yoga content, a Pilates content, a golf content, a dance content, etc., may be selected. Contents of exercises putting an emphasis on a pose may be played. Playing of the yoga content will now be described, but the exercise service is not limited to yoga.
Referring to FIG. 2, the wearable device 100 includes body parts 101 and 102 that are formed of a flexible material. The wearable device 100 is divided into a top and bottoms, i.e., first and second body parts 101 and 102, in FIG. 2. However, according to exemplary embodiments of the present general inventive concept, the wearable device 100 may be realized as all-in-one suit whose top and bottoms are connected to each other. Alternatively, the wearable device 100 may be realized as a band, a sticker, or the like that may be worn on a body of a user not as a full suit shape.
The motion sensor 110, the bio-signal sensor 120, the communicator 140, the controller 130, etc. may be distributed in the body parts 101 and 102.
In FIG. 2, the motion sensor 110 includes a plurality of sensors 110-1 through 110-14 that are respectively distributed in parts, such as joints, wrists, ankles, etc. of the body of the user, in the body parts 101 and 102. The sensors 110-1 through 110-14 may respectively include acceleration sensors and EMG sensors. The bio-signal sensor 120 also includes a plurality of sensors 120-1 and 120-2. The sensors 120-1 and 120-2 of the bio-signal sensor 120 may be distributed in positions appropriate to sense various types of bio-signals such as a temperature, a breathing quantity, a resting pulse rate, a blood pressure, etc. of the user. In other words, the sensors 120-1 and 120-2 may be distributed in proximity to the user's heart, blood vessels, neck, etc.
The wearable device 100 transmits sensed values of the sensors to the display device 200. The display device 200 determines a pose of the user by using the sensed values. The display device 200 displays a reference pose image 201 and a user pose image 202 on a screen of a content that is executed. The reference pose image 201 is taken by a model to teach an exercise, and the user pose image 202 is taken by the user who wears the wearable device 100. Therefore, the user checks their pose in real time to do exercise.
The pose of the user may be three-dimensionally displayed. The user may check the pose by rotating the pose 360 degrees in up, down, left, and right directions. Also, the pose of the user may be accumulatively recorded and managed in the display device 200.
The display device 200 compares the pose of the user with a reference pose to determine whether the user takes a normal pose. The display device 200 provides a feedback signal to the user according to the comparison result. The feedback signal may be provided in various types according to exemplary embodiments of the present general inventive concept. For example, the display device 200 may provide a vibration feedback by using a vibrator installed in the wearable device 100, a visual feedback to display a wrong pose on the screen, a sound feedback to output an audio signal to signal a wrong portion of a pose through a speaker or the like, or a combination thereof.
The display device 200 may further include a camera (not illustrated). If the display device 200 includes the camera, the display device 200 may capture an image of the user wearing the wearable device 100 to use the captured image as the user pose image 202. Here, the display device 200 may additionally display a graphic object (not illustrated) indicating a wrong portion of the user pose image 202 by using the captured image and the sensed value provided from the wearable device 100.
In FIG. 2, the user seems like doing exercise with the user's back to the display device 200, but this is only a direction adjustment for the descriptive convenience. In general, the user may do exercise with seeing the screen of the display device 200.
The user pose image 202 is shown like an actual image of the user wearing the wearable device 100 in FIG. 2. However, in an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept in which the display device 200 does not include a camera, the user pose image 202 may be a graphic image that is arbitrarily generated based on the values of the sensors.
FIG. 3 is a view illustrating an external structure of the wearable device 100 to provide a vibration feedback according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept.
The wearable device 100 may include one or more vibrators 150. Referring to FIG. 3, the wearable device 100 illustrated therein includes a plurality of vibrators 150-1 through 150-15 that are distributed in regions of the body parts 101 and 102. The controller 130 vibrates the plurality of vibrators 150-1 through 150-15 according to a feedback signal transmitted from the display device 200 to provide a vibration feedback to the user.
The vibrators 150-1 through 150-15 may be disposed around the motion sensors 110-1 through 110-14 in the body parts 101 and 102. In other words, the acceleration sensors and the EMG sensors may be respectively paired with the vibrators 150-1 through 150-15. In the exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept illustrated in FIG. 3, vibrator 150-15 is not paired with a motion sensor 110, and is discussed in detail below.
The vibrators 150-1 through 150-15 may be realized as various types of vibrators such as a vibration motor, a piezoelectric element, an actuator, etc. Therefore, poses of the user may be divided according to the regions to provide vibration feedback according to the regions. In other words, the display device 200 compares a pose of the user with a reference pose. The display device 200 determines a portion of the pose of the user that does not correspond to the reference pose according to the comparison result. The display device 200 may transmit the comparison result to the wearable device 100.
If the pose of the user does not correspond to the reference pose stored in a content, the controller 130 vibrates one of the plurality of vibrators 150-1 through 150-15 corresponding to a portion of the user's pose that does not correspond to the reference pose in order to provide a feedback to the user. Therefore, the user may correct a wrong portion of a pose. A feedback strength may be different according to a disagreement degree. In other words, the controller 130 provides a strong vibration feedback with respect to a portion of the user's pose having a great difference from the reference pose and a weak vibration feedback with respect to a portion having a small difference from the reference pose.
The controller 130 may provide a massage service to the user by using at least one of the plurality of vibrators 150-1 through 150-15. For example, the plurality of vibrators 150-1 through 150-15 may include a vibrator, for example vibrator 150-15, that does not provide a vibration feedback but instead relaxes muscles. If the user finishes exercises, the controller 130 may vibrate the particular vibrator 150-15 for a predetermined time to relax the muscles of the user. Alternatively, when the corresponding exercise service is executed, the controller 130 may vibrate one or more of vibrators 150-1 through 150-15 disposed around a region of the user's body having a large amount of movement, a region having the greatest difference from the reference pose, or the like to relax muscles of the corresponding region.
Front sides of the body parts 101 and 102 are illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, but a vibrator 150, a motion sensor 110, a bio-signal sensor 120, etc. may be disposed on back sides of the body parts 101 and 102. If the wearable device 100 further includes a body part worn on a head of the user (not illustrated), the vibrator 150, the motion sensor 110, the bio-signal sensor 120, etc. may be disposed on the body part worn on the head of the user.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a structure of a display device 200 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept. Referring to FIG. 4, the display device 200 includes a communicator 210, a controller 220, a storage device 230, a voice output unit 240, and a display unit 250.
The storage device 230 stores Operating System (O/S) software to operate the display device 200, a program such as various types of applications, various types of data input or set when the program is executed, user pose information corresponding to a sensed value, contents, etc.
The communicator 210 communicates with the wearable device 100 that may be worn on the body of the user. In detail, the communicator 210 receives a sensing signal and a bio-signal of a user motion from the wearable device 100.
The controller 220 controls an overall operation of the display device 200. In detail, if a play command is input with respect to the content stored in the storage device 230, the controller 220 generates a content execution screen by using an operator (not illustrated) and a renderer (not illustrated). The operator calculates attribute values such as coordinate values at which objects are to be displayed according to a layout of a screen, shapes, sizes, and colors of the objects, etc. The renderer generates a screen having various layouts based on the attribute values calculated by the operator.
The contents may be contents to teach various types of exercises such as yoga, dances, golf, Pilates, etc. In FIG. 4, the contents stored in the storage device 230 are executed. However, if the display device 200 is a device having a broadcast receiving function like a TV, the contents may be contents received through a broadcast network. Alternatively, the contents may be contents stored on an external storage medium such as a universal serial bus (USB) memory connected to the display device 200 or contents recorded on a recording medium such as a digital versatile disc (DVD), a Blu-ray disc, or the like.
The display unit 250 displays the screen generated by the renderer. A reference pose image stored in a corresponding content is displayed in an area of the displayed screen.
The controller 220 determines a pose of the user according to a sensing signal and a bio-signal received from the wearable device 100. For example, if a plurality of motion sensors 110 arranged side by side on leg parts of the user sense the same pitch angle and roll angle, the controller 220 may determine that the user has spread their legs. If a pitch angle sensed by a motion sensor 110 arranged on a thigh part is 90° different from a pitch angle sensed by a motion sensor 110 arranged on a calf part, the controller 220 determines that the user has bent their knee at 90°. The controller 220 checks a breathing quantity of the bio-signal of the user with the bio-signal sensor 120 to determine whether the user takes a pose with breathing according to a breathing method.
The controller 220 may realize the determined pose of the user as an image to additionally display the image on an execution screen. The controller 220 compares the pose of the user with the stored reference pose.
The voice output unit 240 outputs various types of informing sounds or voice signals related to an exercise service. The controller 220 controls the voice output unit 240 to output the comparison result between the pose of the user and the reference pose as a voice. In detail, if a right leg of the user is raised up at the back lower than the reference pose, the controller 220 may generate a voice signal like “Raise the right leg further backwards” and output the voice signal through the voice output unit 240. If the user breathes hard, the controller 220 may generate a voice signal like “Adjust breathing with keeping the current pose” and output the voice signal through the voice output unit 240.
The controller 220 may also display a portion of the user's pose disagreeing with the reference pose on the execution screen separately from the voice signal. Alternatively, the controller 220 may provide a feedback signal to transmit the comparison result to the wearable device 100 through the communicator 210. In this case, the wearable device 100 may provide a vibration feedback with respect to a wrong body part by using vibrators 150 arranged on respective parts.
Alternatively, the controller 220 may determine whether the user takes a pose by force or an exercise is dangerous, based on a bio-signal such as a temperature, a blood pressure, or the like of the user. In other words, if the temperature or the blood pressure rises or drops rapidly, the controller 220 may output a warning message through the display unit 250 or the voice output unit 240 and transmit a warning signal to the wearable device 100 through the communicator 210.
According to another exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept, if an exercise service is ended, the controller 220 may synthesize poses taken by the user when doing exercise and store the synthesized poses in the storage device 230. The controller 220 may compare a current pose of the user with poses of the user stored when doing exercise, to accumulate and manage an improved portion and a wrong portion of the user's pose.
According to another exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept, the display device 200 may further include a camera and an input means (not illustrated). The camera captures the user wearing the wearable device 100 and provides the captured image to the controller 220. The controller 220 may synthetically use an analyzed result of the captured image and a motion sensing signal and a bio-signal transmitted from the wearable device 100 to further precisely sense motions of the user. In detail, the controller 220 divides the captured image into a plurality of pixel blocks and compares pixel values of the pixel blocks to first determine motions of respective body parts of the user. In this case, the wearable device 100 may be realized so that colors of respective parts thereof are different according to respective body parts of the user, to further easily check the respective body parts of the user. In other words, if the wearable device 100 is realized so that the colors of the respective parts thereof are different according to arms, legs, a trunk, etc. of the user, the controller 220 may separately recognize the body parts based on ranges of the pixel values in a process of analyzing the pixel values
FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a structure of an exercise service providing system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept. Referring to FIG. 5, the exercise service providing system includes a wearable device 100, a display device 200, and one or more peripheral devices 300, illustrated in FIG. 5 as peripheral devices 300-1 through 300-n.
If a content is executed, the display device 200 transmits an enable signal to the wearable device 100. If the content is executed, the display device 200 generates control commands to adjust various types of peripheral devices 300-1, 300-2, . . . , and 300-n to states matching with an exercise service and transmits the control commands to the peripheral devices 300-1, 300-2, . . . , and 300-n. The peripheral devices 300-1, 300-2, . . . , and 300-n may include various types of home appliances such as a lighting system, an air conditioner, a heater, a TV, an audio player, etc.
If the user wants to do exercise such as yoga, a surrounding environment considerably affects an exercise effect. In other words, a disable operation may be performed to turn off or mute a display device or an audio player except the display device 200 providing an exercise service in order to remove a sound. Also, an operation may be performed to control the lighting system to delicately adjust an illumination intensity and may adjust the air conditioner and the heater to adjust a temperature appropriate to maximize an exercise effect.
Information, such as IP addresses, identifiers, control codes, etc. of the peripheral devices 300-1, 300-2, . . . and 300-n, may be directly registered on the storage device 230 of the display device 200 or on a device such as a home gateway (not illustrated). If the information is stored on the home gateway, and a content is executed, the display device 200 transmits an exercise service execution command to the home gateway. The home gateway receives the exercise service execution command to transmit a control signal to the peripheral devices 300-1, 300-2, . . . , and 300-n that have been registered, to adjust the peripheral devices 300-1, 300-2, . . . , and 300-n to environments appropriate for the exercise service.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of an exercise service providing system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept.
Referring to FIG. 6, in operation S610, the display device 200 executes a content such as an instructional video. In operation S620, the display device 200 transmits a start signal to the wearable device 100. In operation S630, the wearable device 100 receives the start signal to enable a motion sensor 110 and a bio-signal sensor 120. In other words, the wearable device 100 turns off the motion sensor 110 and the bio-signal sensor 120 and is on standby before the content is played but turns on the motion sensor 110 and the bio-signal sensor 120 when the content is played.
If the sensors 110 and 120 are enabled in operation S630, the wearable device 100 senses motions of a user by using the sensors 110 and 120 to obtain a sensed value. In operation S640, the wearable device 100 transmits the sensed value to the display device 200.
In operation S650, the display device 200 determines a pose of the user by using the sensed value. In operation S660, the display device 200 displays the pose of the user on a screen. In operation S670, the display device 200 compares the pose of the user with a reference pose stored in the content. In operation S680, the display device 200 transmits the comparison result to the wearable device 100.
In operation S690, the wearable device 100 actuates vibrators 150 based on the comparison result to provide a vibration feedback. In other words, the wearable device 100 provides vibrations to a body part disagreeing with the reference pose to allow the user to correct their pose.
The display device 200 may adjust a playing degree of the content according to a skill of the user. If a first pose of the user agrees with a first reference pose over a predetermined level, the display device 200 displays a second reference pose. If the pose of the user does not agree with the second reference pose over the predetermined level, the display device 200 outputs a visual message and an audio signal to inform the user of a disagreeing portion and order the user to correct their pose.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an exercise service providing method of the display device 200 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept. Referring to FIG. 7, if a content is executed, the display device 200 displays an execution screen in operation S710. In operation S720, the display device 200 transmits a control signal which is to adjust a peripheral device to an environment agreeing with an exercise service before starting an exercise service.
In this state, the display device 200 provides the exercise service according to sensor signals transmitted from the wearable device 100.
In other words, in operation S730, the display device 200 receives a sensing signal and a bio-signal of a motion of a user from the motion sensor 110 and the bio-signal sensor 120. In operation S740, the display device 200 determines a pose of the user based on the sensing signal and the bio-signal. In operation S750, the display device 200 additionally displays the pose of the user on the execution screen and transmits a feedback signal to the wearable device 100. In operation S760, the display device 200 outputs a comparison result between the pose of the user and a reference pose as a voice.
In operation S770, the display device 200 determines whether the exercise service has been ended. The display device 200 provides the exercise service based on a sensing value of the wearable device 100, repeating operations S730 through S760, until it receives an ending signal to end the exercise service. The ending signal may be input through a button of a main frame or a remote controller (not illustrated) of the display device 200 or when the user wearing the wearable device 100 makes a particular motion. For example, various motions, such as a motion of the user drawing a large circle with both hands in the air a plurality of times, a motion of or quickly shaking the both hands, etc., may be set to an ending motion.
When the exercise service is ended, the display device 200 transmits data about poses taken by the user in the corresponding exercise service to a web server or other external devices (not illustrated) in operation S780. The web server may accumulate and manage the poses of the user to record progresses in the poses of the user. An expert or a manager of a corresponding exercise may access the web server to check exercise conditions of the user.
If the data is completely recorded, the display device 200 transmits a control signal to enable peripheral devices to return to conditions before the exercise service in operation S790.
As described above, a wearable device is formed of a flexible material to be worn by a user. In this case, a battery 160 may be formed of a flexible material like the wearable device.
FIG. 8 is a view illustrating a structure of a wearable device 100 including a flexible power supply device 160 such as a battery according to another exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept.
The flexible power supply device 160 may include a primary battery and a secondary battery (not illustrated). Referring to FIG. 8, a plurality of line batteries 160-1, 160-2, 160-3, . . . , and 160-x are connected to one another in series to form one line, and formed lines intersect with one another to form a fabric. The flexible power supply device 160 is arranged in a part of a first body part 101 in FIG. 8, but a whole part of the wearable device 100 may be realized as the flexible power supply device 160. In other words, as illustrated in FIG. 8, a plurality of line batteries 160-x having flexible characteristics may be connected to one another to form a fabric structure having a suit shape supporting elements such as various types of sensors, a controller, etc.
FIG. 9 is a view illustrating an internal structure of one line battery 160-x according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept. Referring to FIG. 9, the line battery 160-x is realized as a shape in which an internal current collector 1, an internal electrode 2, an electrolyte part 3, an external electrode 4, an external current collector 5, and a coating 6 are arranged sequentially from an inside of the line battery 160-x.
The internal current collector 1 may be formed of an alloy such as TiNi having a high elastic characteristic, a carbon fiber, other conductive polymers, or the like. A surface of the internal current collector 1 is covered with the internal electrode 2. The internal electrode 2 may be formed of various types of materials according to a characteristic thereof. If the internal electrode 2 is used as a negative electrode, the internal electrode 2 may be formed of a negative electrode material such as lithium, natrium, or the like. In this case, the external electrode 4 is used as a positive electrode and thus may be formed of a positive electrode material such as sulfur (S), metal sulfide, or the like. If the internal electrode 2 is used as a positive electrode, and the external electrode 4 is used as a negative electrode, the internal electrode 2 may be formed of a positive electrode material, and the external electrode 4 may be formed of a negative electrode material. A surface of the internal electrode 2 is covered with the electrolytic part 3. The electrolytic part 3 physically isolates the internal and external electrodes 2 and 4 from each other so as to exchange ions between the internal and external electrodes 2 and 4. The electrolytic part 3 may be realized in various forms such as a gel form, a porous form, a solid state form, etc. The external electrode 4 is disposed on an outer side of the electrolytic part 3, and the external current collector 5 is disposed on an outer side of the external electrode 4. The external current collector 5 may be formed of various materials like the internal current collector 1 that has been described above. The coating 6 is formed on an outer side of the external current collector 5. The coating 6 may be formed of a general polymer resin. For example, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), an epoxy resin, or the like may be used. Any material that prevents damage to a thread-shape battery and is freely bent or crooked may be used as the coating 6. The structure of the line battery 160-x of FIG. 9 is only an example and thus is not limited thereto.
As described above, a user uses various exercise services by using a wearable device 100 and a display device 200. The wearable device 100 is used to precisely sense motions of the user and analyze bio-signals of the user in order to support the user in obtaining an exact exercise effect without overdoing exercise.
Various types of elements such as various types of sensors attached onto the wearable device 100 may be attached onto or detached from the wearable device 100.
According to various exemplary embodiments of the present general inventive concept as described above, a wearable device 100 that a user wears senses a motion and a bio-signal of the user to determine a pose of the user. Therefore, the wearable device 100 provides a feedback appropriate for the pose of the user so as to maximize an exercise effect.
Although exemplary embodiments of the present general inventive concept described above are directed to using the wearable device 100 to maximize an exercise effect, the present general inventive concept is not limited to exercise applications. The present general inventive concept may for example also be applied to security, comparing the user's pose to a reference pose to determine a security clearance of the user. The present general inventive concept may also be applied for example to medical and therapeutic purposes, comparing a patient's pose to a reference pose so that the patient maintains a pose best suited to recovery or long-term health.
The present general inventive concept can also be embodied as computer-readable codes on a computer-readable medium. The computer-readable medium can include a computer-readable recording medium and a computer-readable transmission medium. The computer-readable recording medium is any data storage device that can store data as a program which can be thereafter read by a computer system. Examples of the computer-readable recording medium include a semiconductor memory, a read-only memory (ROM), a random-access memory (RAM), a USB memory, a memory card, a Blu-Ray disc, CD-ROMs, magnetic tapes, floppy disks, and optical data storage devices. The computer-readable recording medium can also be distributed over network coupled computer systems so that the computer-readable code is stored and executed in a distributed fashion. The computer-readable transmission medium can transmit carrier waves or signals (e.g., wired or wireless data transmission through the Internet). Also, functional programs, codes, and code segments to accomplish the present general inventive concept can be easily construed by programmers skilled in the art to which the present general inventive concept pertains.
Although a few embodiments of the present general inventive concept have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the general inventive concept, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A wearable device worn on a body of a user, the wearable device comprising:

a motion sensor to sense a motion of the user;

a bio-signal sensor to sense a bio-signal of the user;

a communicator to communicate with a display device to execute a content to display an execution screen; and

a controller to transmit sensed results of the motion sensor and the bio-signal sensor to the display device to display a pose of the user on the execution screen.

2. The wearable device of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one body part which is formed of a flexible material and supports the motion sensor, the bio-signal sensor, the communicator, and the controller; and

a plurality of vibrators which are distributed in the body part, the controller vibrating the plurality of vibrators according to a feedback signal transmitted from the display device to provide a feedback to the user.

3. The wearable device of claim 2, wherein the motion sensor comprises a plurality of acceleration sensors and a plurality of electromyogram (EMG) sensors which are disposed in association with the plurality of vibrators.

wherein the content is one of a yoga content, a Pilates content, a golf content, and a dance content, and, if the pose of the user disagrees with a reference pose stored in the content, the controller vibrates one of the plurality of vibrators corresponding to a disagreeing portion of the user's pose to provide a feedback to the user.

4. A display device comprising:

a storage device to store a content;

a display unit to display an execution screen if the content is executed;

a communicator to receive a sensing signal and a bio-signal of a motion of a user from a wearable device worn on a body of the user;

a controller to determine a pose of the user according to the sensing signal and the bio-signal, display the pose of the user on the execution screen, and compare the pose of the user with a reference pose stored in the content; and

a voice output unit to output as a voice the comparison result between the pose of the user and the reference pose.

5. The display device of claim 4, wherein the controller generates a feedback signal indicating the comparison result between the pose of the user and the reference pose and transmits the feedback signal to the wearable device through the communicator.

6. The display device of claim 4, wherein if the content is executed, the controller generates a control command to adjust at least one peripheral device registered in the display device to a condition agreeing with an exercise service and transmit the control command to the peripheral device.

7. The display device of claim 4, wherein the content is one of a yoga content, a Pilates content, a golf content, and a dance content.

8. An exercise service providing system comprising:

a wearable device which is worn on a body of a user, the wearable device including a motion sensor and a bio-signal sensor, the wearable device providing a vibration feedback according to a comparison result between a pose of the user and a reference posed stored in a content; and

a display device to execute the content to display an execution screen, determine a pose of a user by using sensed values of the motion sensor and the bio-signal sensor transmitted from the wearable device, display the pose of the user on the execution screen, and transmit the comparison result between the pose of the user and the reference pose stored in the content to the wearable device.

9. An exercise service providing method of an exercise service providing system comprising a wearable device worn on a body of a user and a display device, the exercise service providing method comprising:

executing a content through the display device to display an execution screen;

transmitting sensed values of a motion sensor and a bio-signal sensor attached onto the wearable device to the display device;

determining a pose of the user by using the sensed value and displaying the pose of the user on the execution screen through the display device;

comparing the pose of the user with a reference pose stored in the content through the display device and transmitting the comparison result from the display device to the wearable device; and

providing a vibration feedback through the wearable device according to the comparison result.

10. The exercise service providing method of claim 9, wherein if the content is executed, the display device generates a control command to adjust at least one peripheral device registered in the display device to a condition agreeing with an exercise service and transmits the control command to the peripheral device.

11. The exercise service providing method of claim 9, wherein the content is one of a yoga content, a Pilates content, a golf content, and a dance content.

12. A method of providing an exercise service by using a display device, the method comprising:

if a content is executed, displaying an execution screen;

receiving a sensing signal and a bio-signal of a motion of a user from a wearable device worn on a body of the user;

determining a pose of the user according to the sensing signal and the bio-signal;

displaying the pose of the user on the execution screen; and

outputting as a voice a comparison result between the pose of the user and a reference pose stored in the content.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

generating a feedback signal indicating the comparison result between the pose of the user and the reference pose and transmitting the feedback signal to the wearable device.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

generating a control command to adjust at least one peripheral device registered in the display device to a condition agreeing with an exercise service and transmitting the control command to the peripheral device.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the content is one of a yoga content, a Pilates content, a golf content, and a dance content.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium to contain computer-readable codes as a program to execute the method of claim 9.

17. A wearable device worn on a body of a user, the wearable device comprising:

a sensor to sense a motion or position of the user; and

a controller to transmit the sensed motion or position of the user through a communicator to a display device to compare the motion or position of the user to a reference content, and to receive feedback from the display device on the comparison.

18. A display device, comprising:

a storage device to store a first reference content;

a display unit to display an execution screen;

a communicator to receive a sensor signal from a wearable device worn on a body of a user; and

a controller to determine a motion or position of the user according to the sensor signal, display the motion or position of the user on the execution screen, compare the motion or position of the user with the first reference content, and transmit the results of the comparison to the user device.

19. A method of providing an exercise service, the method comprising:

receiving a sensing signal from a wearable device worn on a body of the user;

determining a motion or position of the user according to the sensing signal;

comparing the determined motion or position of the user to a reference content; and

outputting feedback to the user based on the result of the comparison.